1 Enoch (Ethiopic) Parallel Translations

Charles < < Chapter LXXVIII / Chapter 77 > > Laurence

LXXVIII. THE SUN AND MOON: THE WAXING AND WANING OF THE MOON.

LXXVIII

1,2And the names of the sun are the following: the first Orjârês, and the second Tômâs. And the moon has four names: the first name is Asônjâ, the second Eblâ, the third Benâsê, and the fourth 3Erâe. These are the two great luminaries: their circumference is like the circumference of the 4heaven, and the size of the circumference of both is alike. In the circumference of the sun there are seven portions of light which are added to it more than to the moon, and in definite measures it is 5transferred till the seventh portion of the sun is exhausted. And they set and enter the portals of the west, and make their revolution by the north, and come forth through the eastern portals 6on the face of the heaven. And when the moon rises one-fourteenth part appears in the heaven: 7{the light becomes full in her}: on the fourteenth day she accomplishes her light. And fifteen parts of light are transferred to her till the fifteenth day [when] her light is accomplished, according to the sign of the year, and she becomes fifteen parts, and the moon grows by [the addition of] fourteenth 8parts. And in her waning [the moon] decreases on the first day to fourteen parts of her light, on the second to thirteen parts of light, on the third to twelve, on the fourth to eleven, on the fifth to ten, on the sixth to nine, on the seventh to eight, on the eighth to seven, on the ninth to six, on the tenth to five, on the eleventh to four, on the twelfth to three, on the thirteenth to two, on the fourteenth 9to the half of a seventh, and all her remaining light disappears wholly on the fifteenth. And 10in certain months the month has twenty-nine days and once twenty-eight. And Uriel showed me another law: when light is transferred to the moon, and on which side it is transferred to her by 11the sun. Duringall the period during which the moon is growing in her light, she is transferring it to herself when opposite to the sun during fourteen days {her light is accomplished in the heaven}, 12and when she is illumined throughout, her light is accomplished full in the heaven. And on the first 13day she is called the new moon, for on that day the light rises upon her. She becomes full moon exactly on the day when the sun sets in the west, and from the east she rises at night, and the moon shines the whole night through till the sun rises over against her and the moon is seen over against 14the sun. On the side whence the light of the moon comes forth, there again she wanes till all the light vanishes and all the days of the month are at an end, and her circumference is empty, void of 15light. And three months she makes of thirty days, and at her time she makes three months of twenty-nine days each, in which she accomplishes her waning in the first period of time, and in the first 16portal for one hundred and seventy-seven days. And in the time of her going out she appears for three months [of] thirty days each, and for three months she appears [of] twenty-nine each. At night she appears like a man for twenty days each time, and by day she appears like the heaven, and there is nothing else in her save her light.

77

77:2
The moon has four names. The first is Asonya; the second, Ebla; the third, Benase; and the fourth, Erae.

77:3
These are the two great luminaries, whose orbs are as the orbs of heaven; and the dimensions of both are equal.

77:4
In the orb of the sun [there is] a seventh portion of light, which is added to it from the moon. (83) By measure it is put in, until the seventh portion of [the light of] the sun is departed. They set, enter into the western gate, circuit by the north, and through the eastern gate go forth over the face of heaven.

(83) A seventh portion…from the moon. Or, "seven parts of light which are added to it more than to the moon" (Knibb, p. 182).

77:5
When the moon rises, it appears in heaven; and the half of a seventh portion of light is all [which is] in it.

77:9
During its diminution on the first day its light decreases a fourteenth part; on the second day it decreases a thirteenth part; on the third day a twelfth part; on the fourth day an eleventh part; on the fifth day a tenth part; on the sixth day a ninth part; on the seventh day it decreases an eighth part; on the eighth day it decreases a seventh part; on the ninth day it decreases a sixth part; on the tenth day it decreases a fifth part; on the eleventh day it decreases a fourth part; on the twelfth day it decreases third part; on the thirteenth day it decreases a second part; on the fourteenth day it decreases a half of its seventh part; and on the fifteenth day the whole remainder of its light is consumed.

77:19
During three months it effects in thirty days [each month] its period; and during three [more] months it effects it in twenty-nine days each. [These are the times] in which it effects its decrease in its first period, and in the first gate, [namely], in one hundred and seventy-seven days.

77:20
And at the time of its going forth during three months it appears thirty days each, and during three [more] months it appears twenty-nine days each.

77:21
In the night it appears for each twenty [days] as [the face of] a man, and in the day as heaven; for it is nothing else except its light.